Research is starting to confirm what your mother always told you—that the people around you can be good or bad influences. Spend time with folks who have the habits you want!

2. Take a break from your militant diet and exercise regime

If you never, ever indulge, that’s not living well. Take Sunday off and you’ll wake up eager to get back on track Monday morning.

3. Get back to—or into—nature

There’s a reason why apartments overlooking the park are more expensive. Whether we realize it or not, humans have a profound connection with nature. No need to relocate to a hut in the woods, just try walking through green spaces on your way to work or bringing your Kindle to a park bench.

4. Practice Hari Hachi Bu

This is the Japanese practice for eating until you’re 80 percent full, which is helpful because we’ve all heard that it takes about 20 minutes for our brains to catch up with our stomachs. Eating less is not only associated with avoiding weight gain (duh) but also living longer.

5. Double Your Ds

Vitamin D, that is! Particularly on those dreary winter days, it’s important to get enough vitamin D.

Docs used to only think vitamin D was good for bones, but new research has associated it with preventing a host of maladies, such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression.

6. Try some Tulsi

Known as holy basil, this herb has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years (mystics believed it fostered personal growth and enlightenment). Usually sipped in tea or taken insupplement form, tulsi is full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Even better, tulsi also lowers cortisol, the hormone associated with stress and belly fat.

7. Eat your ‘shrooms

But not the conventional kind (and certainly not the, ahem, other kind). Shiitake, enoki, oyster, and maitake boost immune system activity and have anti-inflammatory properties. They’ve been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years and are getting more recognition as health-boosters in the West.Need a recipe?

Comments

Love this list! Speaking of mushrooms, of my favorite bloggers, Sarah B. at My New Roots just posted a delightful recipe using enokis following the coattails of Fabulous Fermentation week! I remember a few readers naming her blog recently and it seems like something you guys would dig. I just made kimchi and going to add some wee little mushrooms into the mix now http://mynewroots.org/site/2013/01/enoki-broccoli-kimchi-two-ways/

I do many of these. But what I really want to comment on is #2, “take a break from your militant diet and exercise regime.” If your regular diet and exercise regime is not what you consider living well, then maybe it’s not the right thing for you! I try to have the same discipline every day, and that’s what makes me happy and feel like I’m living well. Indulgence is built in to the system. For example, I eat really good food – including chocolate – every day, and do the type of exercise I love (not dread).

Vitamin D and mushroom tip: buy dried shiitake mushrooms, let it sit in water on your kitchen counter, somewhere sunny –> get more vitamin D! My mom then blends it all, pour the resulting mix into ice cube tray and then use those ice cubes for a morning veggie shake.